Apple Updates Retina MacBook Pro with New Processors, Drops Pricing on 13-Inch Models and High-End MacBook Air

Really looking to get a 13" rMBP now. I don't do anything graphic intensive (I'm a programmer/coder/developer and not of games) but the original price was a bit steep ($1699 for base). But B&H has the 13" rMBP for $1449 with free ship and no tax. I'd happily get an extra 4GB of memory (compared to my current Air), extra Thunderbolt port, HDMI port, dual microphones and of course the Retina Display for about $300 or so more.

Apple is really beating the pants off the new ultrabook and touchscreen ultrabook PC laptops of late. No one else offers a "Retina" display on a notebook for $1499. Sure Lenovo, Acer, Asus and etc. all have touchscreen options at $1500 price range, but a Retina display is more useful than a touchscreen in my opinion.

Disappointed but not surprised that Apple couldn't/wouldn't find a way to get 16GB of RAM into the 13". This is simply unacceptable in a computer that can not be upgraded.

ontheplains said:

I haven't yet, since the price hasn't changed on the model I bought. But the same model with a 256 instead of 128 is now $80 cheaper.

Alright, I get it, I should call Apple!

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The 14 day return policy pretty much covers everything, not just price changes. If you're not at all satisfied for any reason you can return the item.

TriBruin said:

Sorry, but you are wrong. Just last week, I bought a Refurb MPBr 13 i7/8/512 for $2289. After I say the price drop, I checked the Refurb section. My exact same model has now dropped to $1779. (The new equivilent is around $1999 now.)

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If it is an exact config match and a speed bump "new" then yes. In a general product transition no. There were a few bubbles when Apple did the Mac Pro 2012 introductions where the former "mid" model got moved down and the prices were inverted until they flushed out those configs.

If has to do with the two uses of the "new" ( speed bumps versus more deeper configurations changes ).

Well...

I'm an idiot as I just bought one if these suckers a month ago. Now I'm 200 bucks short. I knew feeling that stupid upon checkout was a sign I should have listened to. Oh well, at least they didn't really upgrade them. Staying cool until they actually update the retina 13inch

Bought a 15" MBPr15 2 month ago, but I'm happy to see these specs bump and price cut. 13" retina is very attractive.

jlin615 said:

Is 2.7 i7 quad-core processor mentioned in this early 2013 model identical to the one in the 2012 CTO model?

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No:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...#.22Ivy_Bridge_.28Quad-Core.29.22_.2822_nm.29

The original 2.7 was the 3820QM (8MB cache)
The new 2.7 is the 3740QM (6MB cache)

anthony11 said:

Were they to begin with? When I went to get my wife an Air I wanted 13" 8GB, but they only stocked 4GB.

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All 8GB Air models were CTO. However, there were previously 2 non-CTO models of the 15" cMBP. Now there is just one.

So should I sell my 2.7 15" and get the 2.8 #?

anthony11 said:

Were they to begin with? When I went to get my wife an Air I wanted 13" 8GB, but they only stocked 4GB.

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All 8GB Air models were CTO. However, there were previously 2 non-CTO models of the 15" cMBP. Now there is just one.

I was disappointed they limit RAM to 8GB.

lilo777 said:

The irony here is rich. All students (poor and using computers mostly for essay writing and FB) have Macbooks. All business users (who do use laptops for a real work) have "POS" Windows laptops. BTW, those POS Windows laptops still have better specs than MBPs.

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Not really. I just got a brand new HP Elitebook 2570p at the office. It has the 2.8GHz i5-3360 (which splits the difference between the base and upgraded processor in the rMBP). It also has a 1366x768 12.5" screen that isn't very bright, 4GB RAM (albeit upgradable to 16GB), and my employer uses Win 7 32-bit. It does have a 7200rpm HDD, which is better than the cMBP but nowhere near as fast as an SSD. The keyboard is comparable, it has a few legacy ports, 1 USB 2.0 in addition to USB 3.0 and combo eSATA/USB3.0, but no Thunderbolt or Firewire, and oddly it has full DisplayPort but not HDMI. The keyboard isn't backlit, and the trackpad is a joke. The case is magnesium alloy, but there is plastic trim on the bottom and a plastic bezel. I think it is about $1000 as configured. It weighs just under 4lbs with the DVD, so it is lighter than the cMBP but heaver and a lot thicker than the rMBP. It's actually thicker than the cMBP.

A) They were too expensive
B) They were underpowered
C) Apple released disappointing Mac sales on their last quarterly earnings

= lower prices and speed bumps. Sounds about right.

Spectrum said:

No:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...#.22Ivy_Bridge_.28Quad-Core.29.22_.2822_nm.29

The original 2.7 was the 3820QM (8MB cache)
The new 2.7 is the 3740QM (6MB cache)

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So I guess the original 2.7 still has higher spec/performance?

Clocksetbyfeel said:

I'm an idiot as I just bought one if these suckers a month ago. Now I'm 200 bucks short. I knew feeling that stupid upon checkout was a sign I should have listened to. Oh well, at least they didn't really upgrade them. Staying cool until they actually update the retina 13inch

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This upgrade is nothing compared to what Haswell will bring. Much better graphics performance and better battery life. Heck, we might even get another price drop, but I'm guessing $1499/$1699 are solid price points for the desirable configurations.

This all points to a future when the old DVD MBP will be eliminated from the Apple lineup and I would not be surprised if come June when the new Intel CPUs are release we could see a single MBP once again with an option for retinal screen. A base (cheap) model without retina but the same form factor as the current MBPr. So if you need one with a built in DVD you better be prepared and get one now!

JMHO

Well, crud. This doesn't really help my decision one way or the other regarding when to grab a non-retina MBP.

I don't need one, but will absolutely get one before they are gone (not worth going into why)

The only reason I am waiting is for the slight chance that they will get a Haswell chip in one more refresh before it gets the axe altogether.

The thing that makes me nervous now is how unexpected this particular change was ... I don't want to keep waiting just to have the current model dropped altogether and miss the chance to get one.

Hmmmmm. (I could order it right now ....)

I don't care much about the GPU as I game on a 3-way SLI PC, but I figure why not wait for the update anyway just to get the best bang for my buck.

-Doc

Sky Blue said:

All the college kids have Retina MacBook Pros?

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He's mistaking iPads for them.

Sky Blue said:

All the college kids have Retina MacBook Pros?

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Including myself, I know of two people on my campus with 15" rMBPs. But then again, most of the people at my university aren't media-oriented majors.

SnowLeopard2008 said:

Really looking to get a 13" rMBP now. I don't do anything graphic intensive (I'm a programmer/coder/developer and not of games) but the original price was a bit steep ($1699 for base). But B&H has the 13" rMBP for $1449 with free ship and no tax. I'd happily get an extra 4GB of memory (compared to my current Air), extra Thunderbolt port, HDMI port, dual microphones and of course the Retina Display for about $300 or so more.

Apple is really beating the pants off the new ultrabook and touchscreen ultrabook PC laptops of late. No one else offers a "Retina" display on a notebook for $1499. Sure Lenovo, Acer, Asus and etc. all have touchscreen options at $1500 price range, but a Retina display is more useful than a touchscreen in my opinion.

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Yeah. A few pages ago I talked about how I've been shopping seriously for one of those touch ultrabooks like the Lenovo Yoga 13. I keep going back and forth though because nobody has the perfect solution. And now this. I spent my lunch hour Googling reviews for the 13" rMBP. This price drop has moved the rMBP from "that's crazy, I'm not spending that much" to "hmm, this is worth considering".

the doubt the 256gb 13" retina models are even refurbs.... they are just ridding stocks of 256gb and 2.5ghz i5s

Soon apple will Completely send the 13's and 15's cmbp into the depths of hell alongside there 17 inch brethren.

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Does this mean theres no 15 cmbp with 1gb of 650m?

RoastingPig said:

Does this mean theres no 15 cmbp with 1gb of 650m?

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No, you can config it that way now if you bump the CPU up one level.

This is actually a cool change in that you can get the faster CPU and extra VRAM without being forced to upgrade the RAM to 8GB.

-Doc

JaySoul said:

So nobody was buying them...

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Still expensive if you ask me, they need to move the Base 13" MBP to $999, then put the 13 rMBP where the base13 and upper 13 MBP are now, then they will sell, just too much money for Retina as they are now. It will be interesting to see now that they dropped the price slightly if they sell, I would not buy one until they are $1200 and $1500 even then I think it still worries people about the cost verse the feature of retina.

ah man.... hasn't even been a year since I bought my 15'' rMBP and they are already updating/dropping price....not cool